AND HE ENTERED INTO A SHIP ... - Jesus acceded to the request of the people of Gadara Matthew 8:34, recrossed the Lake of Gennesareth, and returned to his own city. By “his own city” is meant Capernaum Mark 2:1, the city which was at that time his home, or where he had his dwelling. See the notes at... [ Continue Reading ]
A MAN SICK OF THE PALSY - See the notes at Matthew 4:24. LYING ON A BED - This was probably a mattress, or perhaps a mere blanket spread to lie on, so as to be easily borne. Being light, Jesus might with propriety command him to take it up and walk, Matthew 9:6. Mark says “they uncovered the roof,”... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS MAN BLASPHEMETH - The word “blaspheme” originally means to speak evil of anyone; to injure by words; to blame unjustly. When applied to God, it means to speak of him unjustly; to ascribe to him acts and attributes which he does not possess; or to speak impiously or profanely. It also means to s... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS, KNOWING THEIR THOUGHTS - Mark says, “Jesus perceived “in his spirit” that they so reasoned.” The power of searching the heart, and of knowing the thoughts of people, belongs only to God, 1 Chronicles 28:9; Romans 8:27; Revelation 2:23; Jeremiah 17:10. In claiming this, as Jesus did here, and... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHETHER IS EASIER TO SAY - Thy “sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?” The one involves divine “power,” the other divine “authority,” and neither can be done but by God. One is as easy as the other; and to be able to do the one, involves the right and the power to do the other.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THAT YE MAY KNOW ... - That you may have full proof on that point; that you may see that I have power to forgive sin, I will perform an act which all must perceive and admit to require the power of God. ARISE, TAKE UP THY BED, AND GO UNTO THINE OWN HOUSE - The fact that the paralytic man could d... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY GLORIFIED GOD - See the notes at Matthew 5:16. To “glorify” God, here, means to “praise him,” or to acknowledge his power. The expression, “which had given such power to people,” was a part of “their” praise. It expresses no sentiment of the evangelist about the nature of Christ, but is a recor... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAW A MAN, NAMED MATTHEW, SITTING AT THE RECEIPT OF CUSTOM - That is, at the place where “custom,” or “tribute,” was received; or, in other words, he was a “publican” or tax-gatherer. See the notes at Matthew 5:47. This man was the writer of this gospel. The same account is found in Mark 2:14, an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS JESUS SAT AT MEAT IN THE HOUSE - This was at a feast given to him by “Levi” or “Matthew,” Luke 5:29. This is another circumstance favorable to Matthew, but omitted by him, and recorded by Luke; showing also that the apostles were averse to praising themselves. To receive Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY EATETH AND DRINKETH ... - To eat and drink with others denotes intimacy and familiarity. The Pharisees, by asking this question, accused him of seeking the society of such people, and of being the companion of the wicked. The inference which they would draw was, that he could not be himself righ... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT BE WHOLE ... - Jesus, in reply, said that the whole needed not a physician. Sick persons only needed his aid. A physician would not commonly be found with those that were in health. His proper place was among the sick. So, says he, “If you Pharisees are such as you think yourselves - alrea... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GO YE AND LEARN ... - To reprove them, and to vindicate his own conduct, he appealed to a passage of Scripture with which they ought to have been acquainted: “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,” Hosea 6:6. This is not a declaration on the part of God that he was opposed to “sacrifices” or “of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN ... - This narrative is found also in Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33. The reference here is to John the Baptist. It is probable that they had understood that John was the forerunner of the Messiah; and if such was the case, they could not account for the fact that there was suc... [ Continue Reading ]
The account contained in these verses is also recorded, with some additional circumstances, in Mark 5:22, and Luke 8:41. Matthew 9:18 THERE CAME A CERTAIN RULER - Mark and Luke say that his name was Jairus, and that he was a “ruler of the synagogue;” that is, one of the elders to whom was committe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN JESUS DEPARTED THENCE - The scene of this miracle was near Capernaum. The blind men probably followed him with their cry for aid immediately on his leaving the house of Jairus. THOU SON OF DAVID - By the Son of David the Jews meant the Messiah. He was the descendant or Son of David by way o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE WAS COME INTO THE HOUSE - That is, either into the house which he usually occupied in Capernaum, or the house of some friend. They had followed him, but thus far he had not seemed to heed their cries, and he entered the house as if he did not intend to regard them - probably for the tria... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN TOUCHED HE THEIR EYES - Simply to indicate that the power proceeded from him. Compare Matthew 8:3. ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH ... - That is, you have “believed” that you could be healed, be healed accordingly. Your faith covered the whole extent of the work respecting my power and the absolute re... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED - Immediately. That is, their sight was restored: “And Jesus straitly charged them.” He enjoined it on them in the most earnest and solemn manner. SEE THAT NO MAN KNOW IT - That is, do not make proclamation of this; do not make it your business to tell every man of it; do... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY, WHEN THEY WERE DEPARTED, SPREAD ABROAD HIS FAME - The report of what he had done. This was not unnatural for them. They were so filled with joy that they could not repress their feelings. In this, however, they violated the express command of the Saviour; but he was not responsible for tha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS THEY WENT OUT, BEHOLD, THEY BROUGHT UNTO HIM - That is, the friends of the dumb man brought him. This seems to have occurred as soon as the blind men which had been healed left him. Possibly it was from what they had observed of his power in healing them. A DUMB MAN POSSESSED WITH A DEVIL -... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE DEVIL WAS CAST OUT, THE DUMB SPAKE - The miracle is narrated in the briefest terms; but the effect was immediate and the restoration was complete. IT WAS NEVER SO SEEN IN ISRAEL - Never was there in our land - among the Jews - such a succession of wonders, so striking, so marvelous, so... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE PHARISEES SAID, HE CASTETH OUT DEVILS THROUGH THE PRINCE OF THE DEVILS - That is, Beelzebub. See the notes at Matthew 12:24. They did not deny the reality of the miracle or the facts in the case, but they ascribed what was done to the power of the great leader of the fallen host, as if Jesus... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS WENT ABOUT ALL THE CITIES AND VILLAGES ... - That is, in all parts of Galilee, for his labors were, as yet, confined to that part of Palestine. Compare the notes at Matthew 4:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN HE SAW THE MULTITUDES - That followed him from place to place. When he saw their anxiety to be instructed and saved. HE WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION ON THEM - He pitied them. BECAUSE THEY FAINTED - The word used here refers to the weariness and fatigue which results from labor and being burde... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HARVEST TRULY IS PLENTEOUS ... - Another beautiful image. A waving field of golden grain invites many reapers and demands haste. By the reference to the harvest here, he meant that the multitude of people that flocked to his ministry was great. The people expected the Messiah. They were prepared... [ Continue Reading ]